Envelope



July 9, 1968 o. H. LOHAUSEN 3,391,854

ENVELOPE Filed June 27, 1966 f ADDRESS ADDRESS INVENTOR. OTTo H. LOHAUSEN ATTORNEY United States Patent Office Patented July 9, 1968 3,391,854 ENVELOPE Otto H. Lohauscn, 2549 123rd St., College Point, N.Y. 11356 Filed June 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,487 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-71) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A substantially rectangular Window envelope, with a truncated corner. An insert member having substantially the dimensions of the inside of the envelope can be inserted fully into the envelope only with the truncated corners in alignment, so as to present at the window information disposed on the insert in a previously determined location.

This invention relates to stationery, and more particularly to envelopes.

The present invention contemplates an envelope, preferably one having a window in its front face for the presentation of information (such as the name and address of an addressee) which appears on material con tained within the envelope. The instant envelope is indexed to material intended for insertion therein in a fashion such as to prevent improper insertion of that material into the envelope, thereby insuring, for example, that the name and address of the addressee is properly presented to the window of the envelope.

In accordance with the present invention, a substantially rectangular envelope has a truncated corner between two of its edges, a flap for insertion of material extending between two other corners at the ends of a third edge thereof, and a fourth corner having a shape different from said truncated corner. Preferably the envelope has a window opening therein for presentation of information from inside the envelope.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings which are to be considered as exemplary of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts a paper blank from which an envelope of the present invention is made;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a completed envelope in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the envelope of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates in combination an indexed or keyed insert ready for insertion into the envelope of FIGS. 2

and 3, which is illustrated with its top flap upraised to permit introduction of the insert; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a completed envelope in accordance with the present invention containing the indexed insert shown in FIG. 4.

The envelope blank of FIG. 1 includes a substantially rectangular front 1, from which has been cut or removed a window portion 2. A full side wing 3 projects laterally from one side of the front 1, and a shortened side wing 4 projects laterally from the opposite side thereof.

The side wings 3 and 4 are attached to the front along a full top edge fold line 8, and a back flap 9 projects downwardly from the front along a shortened bottom edge fold line 10.

The shortened side wing 4 and the depending back flap 9 both terminate short of their common corner along a truncated corner edge fold line 11 which delineates a truncated-corner flap 12.

In forming the envelope of FIGS. 2-5, the shortened side wing 4 is folded inwardly along the shortened side fold line 6, following which the truncated corner flap 12 is folded thereover along the fold line 11.

The full side wing 3 thereon is folded over against the front 1 along the fold line 5 and the envelope is completed by folding the back flap 9 upwardly and over the other flaps along its fold line 10. The flaps are glued together along their overlapping portions to form a sealed back in the conventional manner.

As will be apparent on inspection of FIGS. 2-5, the window envelope thus formed has two full edges 5 and 8, two shortened edges 6 and 10, and a fifth, truncated corner edge 11. The flap 7 for insertion of material into the envelope depends from one of the full edges 7 which is not shortened by the truncated corner flap 12. The edge 11 of the truncated corner is substantially shorter than any other edge of the envelope, thereby minimizing lost envelope volume. Thus, the envelope generally is of conventional rectangular shape and appearance with the exception that one, and only one, of its lower corners is truncated.

The instant envelope lends itself particularly to use in conjunction with punched cards such as is illustrated in the upper portion of FIG. 4. By truncating one of the lower corners of the punched card so as to conform the shape of the card to the shape of the interior of the envelope, the card becomes a male member which can be fully inserted into the envelope only in one orientation. This insures that desired information (e.g., identification of the desired addressee) disposed on the punched card in a location falling under the window 2 in the front 1 of the envelope will be presented to view. With the combination of truncated card and truncated envelope illustrated, it becomes impossible for a user to insert a pre addressed card into the envelope upside down or backward inasmuch as the card, when substantially equal in size to the interior of the envelope, can only fully enter the envelope when it is properly oriented.

After a preaddressed card or other information-bearing member has been inserted into the envelope, the top flap 7 is closed and glued in the conventional manner, forming the final sealed and addressed envelope shown in FIG. 5.

It is to be understood that the invention herein illustrated and described is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and that various changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the true spirit of the invention. For example, it is possible to form the truncated corner in a conventional rectangular envelope by sealing together the front and back faces of the envelope at one corner with glue or with a staple or other equivalent means. It is also possible, of course, to utilize corners truncated at angles other than the angle which is illustrated. It is likewise further possible to fabricate envelopes in which both bottom corner edges are truncated in differing amounts, however an envelope having both bottom corners truncated to the same extent would permit insertion of material with either of two faces tward the front of the envelope, and would therefore not exhibit the desired indexing feature.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a pentagonal envelope having a insert member having substantially the dimensions of the inside of said pentagonal envelope, whereby said insert member can be inserted into said envelope in only one orientation and thereby present at said window information disposed thereon in a perviously determined location.

2. In combination, a substantially rectangular envelope having a window opening therein for presentation of information from inside the envelope, a truncated corner between two edges of said envelope, and a flap for insertion of material on a difierent edge thereof; and :a pentagonal insert member having substantially the dimensions of the inside of said envelope, whereby saidinsert member can be inserted into said envelope in only one orientation and thereby presentat said window information disposed thereon in a previously determined location.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,466,967 9/ 1923 Shuman 22975 1,601,318 9/1926 Overly 22971 10 2,237,085 4/1941 Barrett 229-85 3,013,713 12/1961 Whitman 22971 DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

